ENTREPRENEURSHIP DEVELOPMENT IN HIGHER EDUCATION Communities of Practice: Draft Terms of Reference Background The action plan for Entrepreneurship Development in Higher Education (EDHE) contains six key actions through which the EDHE goals are to be achieved, i.e.:

The Key Actions OBJECTIVES OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP DEVELOPMENT PLATFORM 1

2

3

4

5

6

Stakeholder engagement

Position entrepreneurship development strategically in HEIs

Optimise entrepreneurship development through best practice and policy

Establish partnerships to advance entrepreneurship development

Implement entrepreneurship development initiatives focused on the student market

Measure and track entrepreneurship development initiatives

Fact-finding mission Concept note

KEY ACTIONS OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP DEVELOPMENT PLATFORM

Figure 1: Key actions in EDHE



In key action 3 (see figure 1), nine projects have been identified (see figure 2) to fast-track EDHE at universities. We have already completed one of the nine projects, i.e. the first annual entrepreneurship development lekgotla, held on 16 and 17 March, while we are making progress on others. Another key project is the establishment and mobilisation of Communities of Practice (CoPs), which was a key outcome of the lekgotla on EDHE. The three tracks of the lekgotla represented the three goals of EDHE, i.e. the development of entrepreneurship in academics, the development of entrepreneurial universities and the development of student entrepreneurship. Delegates to the lekgotla established a community of practice (CoP) in each of the tracks, while core representatives volunteered or were nominated to initialise the actions of the CoPs.



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NATIONAL INTER-UNIVERSITY Entrepreneurship development practitioner training

National entrepreneurship awareness campaign

LOCAL INTRAUNIVERSITY

Annual intra-university entrepreneurship indaba

Online entrepreneurship development platform

REGIONAL INTER-UNIVERSITY

National student entrepreneurship week

Communities of Practice

Annual entrepreneurship development lekgotla

Entrepreneurship development awards & event



Figure 2: Nine key projects in the action plan for EDHE

Qualifying criteria for serving as core representatives of a CoP Volunteers or nominees who agreed to serve as core representatives of each of the three CoPs were requested to meet the following criteria for participation in this leadership role: 1. They have to be able to make time available for the CoP work in EDHE. 2. They need to have their own resources available for this purpose. 3. They must be experts in the field. 4. They must demonstrate transformative thinking that translates into action. We reiterate the importance of core representatives meeting these criteria in order to participate fully and play a leadership role.

Conveners and representatives Due to time limitations at the Lekgotla on EDHE, delegates did not have the opportunity to select a convener for each CoP for inclusion on the EDHE steering committee. Dr EL Van Staden, Chief Director: Academic planning and management support, requested a convener and deputy convener to take the lead in each CoP. The names of core representatives, along with the names of conveners and deputy conveners of each CoP are listed in Table 1, below.

Table 1

Entrepreneurship in Academics Convener Prof Beatrys Lacquet (TBC) Deputy Convener Dr Thea van der Westhuizen (TBC) Mr Riaan Steenberg Ms Nirvana Rajkumar Dr Seboka Kopung Dr Althea Mvula



Entrepreneurial Universities Dr Poppet Pillay (TBC) Ms Yogavelli Nambiar (TBC) Dr Marius Venter Mr Andries Fourie Prof Willem Clarke Dr Darelle Groenewald

Student Entrepreneurship Ms Elli Yiannakaris (TBC) Ms Lindiwe Kunene (TBC) Mr Pat Pillay Ms Thembi Kweyama Ms Natanya Meyer Mr Nonyameko Xotyeni

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Mr Jan Grundling Dr Thobeka Ncanywa Mr Wise Sambo

Prof Susan Steinman Ms Charleen Duncan



Dr Richard Shambare



Mr Dewet Schoeman Ms Lucy Moteka Ms Nickey Janse van Rensburg Ms Letitia de Wet

Purpose and Objectives of the CoPs The purpose of the CoPs is to development entrepreneurship at higher education institutions nationally by: 1. Sharing relevant knowledge, resources and best practice; 2. Transferring practical skills; 3. Influencing policy; 4. Collaborating with relevant stakeholders in the public, private and non-governmental sectors (see figure 3); and 5. Supporting and promoting national EDHE projects regionally and locally; and 6. Determining success indicators for EDHE.

University Entrepreneurship Development Stakeholder Framework Public Entities

DSBD

DTI

DST

SOE

Prov Gov

Local Gov

USAF

Private Sector

DHET

Funders BBBEE

National Entrepreneurship Development Platform

ED NPOs HEI1 University Management

HEI2

HEI3 ED Interest Groups

University Strategy

Mentors

Communities of Practice

Academic Entrepreneurship

University Mechanisms

Student Entrepreneurship University Entrepreneurship

ED Support Interface

Student/Graduate Enterprises

Student Entrepreneur Ventures

Infrastructure

Infrastructure

Infrastructure

ED Support

ED Support

ED Support

Suppliers Service Providers

Community

Scope of CoPs



The EDHE platform in general and CoPs in particular are aimed at promoting entrepreneurship at universities. The platform, driven from the University Branch of DHET, exists primarily to address the issues of graduate unemployment and the need for universities to become more entrepreneurial. Although the need for entrepreneurship development in other sectors might be equally or even more important, the focus of EDHE is on universities. Given the fact that DHET is also home to other entities in the Post School Education and Training (PSET) System, EDHE initiatives might later expand to support entrepreneurship development at TVET and community colleges. Entrepreneurship development in the general community and in the basic education sector is not within the focus of the EDHE platform.



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Approach Based on the input given during discussions at the establishment of the CoP, these CoPs in EDHE should follow an approach based on: • Sharing of best practice; • Replication of successful projects; • Scholarship; • Collaboration; • Practice; • Advocacy; and • Sustainability.



First meeting of CoP representatives

Initial meetings of the CoPs are scheduled to take place on the 19th or 20th of April, details of which will be confirmed closer to the time.

Deliverables for the first meeting • • •

Format and structure of the CoP Key objectives specific to the particular CoP Strategy for implementation of key EDHE projects, such as: o EDHE online platform o National Student Entrepreneurship Week o EDHE awards (More information on these projects to follow)



Conclusion The Terms of Reference contained in this draft document is open for discussion and amendment by stakeholders in the EDHE community. Please provide feedback as you see fit.





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